Leksand goalkeeper Marcus Gidlöf played a great game and kept a clean sheet against AIK when Djurgården secured a match ball in the SHL qualifying round on Tuesday.
On Friday evening, Djurgården can secure a SHL comeback – possibly with Gidlöf between the posts.
AIK's successful coach Roger Melin raged about the loan rule and told Aftonbladet:
This is a scandal. The sickest thing I've been involved in.
"Form of doping"
He gets support from experts and columnists. SVT's expert Jonas Andersson calls it a "piss rule" and Aftonbladet's columnist Tomas Ros writes that "the system has become a form of doping".
The Swedish Ice Hockey Association's competition manager on the criticism:
"If there is criticism from our associations regarding the rules, we have a dialogue with them together with our league organizations", writes Magnus Mårtensson in an email to TT.
The rule that brought Gidlöf to Djurgården was introduced in the 90s to give young goalkeeper talents who don't get playing time in higher series a chance to play in lower series.
But JVM goalkeeper Gidlöf has played 17 matches in the SHL during his breakthrough season and came to Djurgården just days before the final series started. The match last night was his debut in the loan club – when the qualifying round is over, he will return to Leksand again, where his contract continues over next season.
Used in case of injuries
Teams have exploited the rule to cover up when they have been hit by injuries to regular goalkeepers – like Djurgården did two years ago when Jesper Myrenberg was loaned in from Linköping after Carl Lidbom was injured before the qualifying final against Modo.
But Djurgården's regular goalkeepers Hugo Hävelid and Viktor Andrén are healthy.
Brynäs has also picked up a loan goalkeeper in the SM final series against Luleå since Ludvig Persson is injured.
Finnish Frans Tuohimaa, 33 years old, Olympic and World Championship gold medalist, was close to taking Södertälje to the HockeyAllsvenskan final at the expense of Djurgården.
Now he has been picked up by Brynäs and was substituted in the second SM final, playing half the match.
+ Rule for "named goalkeeper - men"
Excerpt: Association with senior team has the right to loan out two named goalkeepers (senior born 2003/2004 or junior 2005/2006):
Goalkeeper belonging to SHL association can be loaned out to HockeyAllsvenskan/HockeyEttan/HockeyTvåan for play in senior team.
Named goalkeeper must be registered no later than February 15.
+ Rule for "back up goalie"
Excerpt: Association in SHL has the right to name a maximum of 2 goalkeepers born 2006 or earlier for play in senior team from HockeyAllsvenskan or HockeyEttan as back up goalie (reserve goalkeeper). These can play in both associations throughout the season and must have their regular contract registration in the underlying association".
Here, February 15 also applies as the last day.
